Master Bruce

CLOSED - Ultimate One Universe: Season One

Soooo...

Anybody got a kryptonite ring just sorta, y'know, around? Because I sure could use one of those.

CLOSED - Ultimate One Universe: Season One

Gotham City, East End
Grant Park
1:31 AM

Out of the corner of my eye, I see movement. A figure in black.

Him.

The one I was hunting. The Batman.

Before I even know what I’m doing, I rush towards the cloaked figure, and feel my hand at his throat.

“You,” I growl as I hoist him off the ground. “What was your part in this? What did you do?!”

@AndyC

"GKK!"

My mind reels as events unfold infront of me at a speed that I can barely comprehend. It started when the drones suddenly refocused their attention elsewhere in the Park after threatening to cut me down. I had made an honest run for it, and even attempted to divert the weaponized machines away from the injured civilian and the reporter by allowing them to give chase, but my curiosity had been piqued by their newfound interest in a third target. So instead of running any further, I made my way to a secluded spot and watched, hoping to formulate a plan of attack before Ace completed his scan. But what I saw was... hard to explain.

At first, he seemed like any ordinary man who had jumped in to lend a hand. Wearing a cape, certainly, but Gotham is no stranger to the extreme and the flamboyant. I couldn't make out his features in the dark, so I prepared my grapple to fire and save the idiot from getting himself killed. Then I heard the power in his voice, and it caused me to freeze. He spoke with a tone that was almost ear-shattering in it's sense of authority, as if he were an army general or a man of absolute conviction. That should have been my first clue of whom I was dealing with, but I wasn't absolutely sure.

Then he took one of the drones head-on, had it explode against his person, and emerged unscathed. My eyes widened and a chill went down my spine as the lighting from the small fire caused by the explosion illuminated his chest, revealing a diamond crimson symbol that I had seen many times in the news before. In the last seven months, that emblem had almost been impossible to escape.

For reasons I don't fully understand, I suddenly remembered exactly where I was when I first saw it. Bleeding in the back of a Porsche driven by Alfred after a particularly bad night. One of the first nights I was ever out, infact, after I had made the decision to take on Gotham's filth and change the city by my own hand. The Batman didn't yet exist, but I had chosen a costume - a ski-mask and bulletproof vest over dark clothing. As I laid in the backseat, bleeding all over the upholstery after getting stabbed multiple times and having the side of my jaw kicked in by a particularly brutal enforcer for the Falcone family, we passed through Unity Square on the way to the hospital. And looking towards the heavens in my daze, I caught a glimpse of the jumbotron overlooking 38th Street, focusing on the headlining story:

Mysterious Man Deflects Bullets, Totals Vehicle Of Would-Be Terrorists.

At the time, they only had blurred video footage recorded off of a burner phone's camera. Easily assumed to be the work of digital manipulation. But an artist's rendering had accompanied the footage, and that diamond - with an S running through it - was on every subsequent channel for the next few days, followed by eyewitness testimonies of the event that all correlated the footage. A man who could bounce bullets off his skin. Lift a car over his head and smash it with his bare hands. It seemed so surreal at the time, but the public had been yet to be made aware of the metahuman phenomena. Within the week, a reporter from The Daily Planet had even coined a name for him.

Superman.

As I watched Metropolis' mysterious self-proclaimed protector advance towards the unconscious body of the female reporter, it suddenly hit me. I hadn't just encountered a normal, run-of-the-mill staffer for The Planet who was visiting Gotham to see the Knights game, or some other trivial fluff. The woman I had saved was the person who had, perhaps unintentionally, started all of this and irrevocably changed the world. By exposing SHIELD's attempts to cover up the growing number of metahumans across the world and even verifying the existence of earlier figures thought once to be fictional, Lois Lane had earned quite the reputation over the span of a relatively short amount of time. And now knowing that she was here in Gotham for a story, I couldn't help but become suspicious. Was she sent here because of Freeze's attack? Something about the Five Families? Or worse yet, the story that everyone seemed to be fixated on - Batman attacking the GCPD.

I suppose it doesn't matter now, as the situation has escalated. Before I could so much as move or even say anything in response to his arrival, the Superman turned his eyes on me with a monstrous gaze. His eyes glowing with red energy, cradling Lane's unconscious body, he became but a blur of blue motion. Less than a millisecond later, I found myself in his grasp and being lifted off of the ground. The pressure against my throat is unlike anything I've ever felt. As if someone were actively clamping my neck between a mountain and steel beam, holding it tightly enough to avoid snapping the base of my spine, but making it clear that it would take very little effort to do so.

For some reason, he's angry with me. As though he blames me for this attack, specifically, despite the fact that I barely know anything about it myself. But the hatred in his eyes is utterly clear. And that fact has caused me to feel an emotion that I rarely ever feel, as I'm often told, to a fault.

I feel afraid.

"D... Don't..."

Clutching at his unbreakable grip on me, knowing that any action I take is futile, I immediately scan the area to give me any sense of what I could do to get him off of me. Given the level of pressure being applied against my windpipe, restricting my oxygen intake, I could pass out within the minute and leave myself vulnerable to an angry god's wrath.

My brain actively reminds me of the more volatile threats that I've fought against in recent weeks: Deadshot, considered one of the world's deadliest assassins. The metahuman Poison Ivy, controlling an equally powerful meta named Jessica Jones. Mr. Freeze and his ice cannon, which itself nearly brought me to the brink of death. And barely even half an hour ago, the shape-shifting Clayface, whose origins are still entirely unclear.

If even half of what The Planet had printed about the man choking the life out of me is true, all of those threats combined don't even hold a candle to Superman's capabilities. There's so much more that we don't know that he can do, and what we already know is the stuff of nightmares. I can't shoot him and expect him to fall like Maroni. Can't beat him like Lawton. Definitely can't block him away like Ivy, or use some sort of device to tamper with the source of his power, as with Freeze. And I'm fairly certain that he just demonstrated that an explosion sure as hell won't work.

Using one hand to try and feebly lighten his grasp to no avail, I mercifully notice that he isn't paying attention to my other hand as it slowly reaches down into the utility belt. Already used one grapple gun to save a man earlier. I only keep one spare, so I need to make this count. Whatever I'm going to do, I need to do it fast.

"...Didn't..."

As I make it seem as though I'm beginning for mercy, I manage to spot the debris of one of the destroyed drones. It's a long-shot, and a hell of a chance, but it's the only one I can take while he's got me in his grip. Firing the grapple line past his head, I watch as the hook grabs onto the burning debris. Pulling the trigger so that the line reels, the debris goes flying towards us and hits Superman squarely in the back of the head. It certainly doesn't hurt him, as his expression barely registers a reaction... but it is enough to momentarily distract him, even for a second.

Seizing my opportunity as his grip loosens in the confusion of what hit him, I take both legs and kick myself off of his chest, releasing me entirely from his grasp. As he spins and attempts to grab hold of me again, I somersault over him with just enough speed to pull a second distraction out from my utility belt: smoke bombs. They all explode in Superman's face simultaneously, leaving me to roll and collapse, finally being able breathe for what feels like the first time in eternity.

Not out of the woods yet, Bruce. All you did was manage to get out from under his thumb. A thumb that he could press down at any second, even harder than before. You've got to figure out a way to fight him before he moves to attack you, or you're risking serious injury - perhaps even worse.

Think, dammit.

"A... Ace..."

Still can't properly breathe. It takes a cough before I can even form a sentence.

"Key in... on my position. Re-route all of the suit's systems into the Utility Gun. Boost the taser."

Rerouting now, Mr. Wayne.

Taser is now at 100% optimal output.

Producing the weapon once more, I manually switch the ordinance to electrical, aim at the smoke cloud that Superman seems to barely be affected by... and fire.

You may be faster than a speeding bullet.

May even be able to leap a few buildings.

But let's see how powerful you really are, you son of a bitch.

CLOSED - Ultimate One Universe: Season One

@Master Bruce
Do you have an estimated start date for season 2? Or at least when you might possibly post the OOC or Interest Check?

@Divine Darkness

OOC will likely go up October 1st, along with an Interest Check.

IC'll probably start week or two after, depending on the will of the people.

CLOSED - Ultimate One Universe: Season One

Oh, and I read Batman Damned, the aforementioned book that features Bruce's Wang.

I actually liked it quite a bit and highly recommend it as something that deals with Batman and the supernatural in freaky-ass ways. Bruce even hallucinates a couple of times in the book, making me feel as though Azzarello's been reading my stuff.

If you read it digitally, you won't even have to be treated to the sight of Bruce's Bat-Pole, as DC censored it out for those not wishing to see a penis in their comics! Huzzah!

CLOSED - Ultimate One Universe: Season One

I petition that all long standing players should get immortalised for Season 2 by making it onto the banner.

#EndThisOppression
#IDemandEquality

@Sep

The banner will change for Season Two, I just haven't made one yet. But if I can work as many of our established PCs into it as I can, I will.

_{All of whom will be much smaller than Batman, of course.}

CLOSED - Ultimate One Universe: Season One

Gotham City, East End
Grant Park
1:20 AM

"Pick up the pace, Irons! I'm not about to print your obituary!"

Lois Lane grit her teeth and raced forward with the sprint of a lower-tier athlete, heart pounding and adrenaline pumping as she fought against the oncoming glow of the headlights belonging to the out-of-control vehicles heading directly for her and Dr. John Henry Irons. It didn't take an investigative journalist of her experience to deduce that all of this was the work of Winslow Schott, who was now undoubtedly the mastermind behind the many Toyman tasks that had ravaged Metropolis for months, as it hadn't been taken so much of a whisper of Irons' demented former business partner for an attack to suddenly commence out of nowhere. What really threw her was the fact that despite the distance between The City of Tomorrow and the current hellhole that she'd been forced to visit in an effort to get this exclusive, Toyman's reach had been vast enough to follow either her, Irons, or both across city lines. It seemed almost entirely too coincidental, and as Perry White had taught her long ago, coincidence was the invention of the naive.

Nevertheless, Lane wasn't a fool. She knew when to turn on the intrepid reporter mode and when to shut it off long enough to keep herself alive. And right now, there was nothing more important to getting out of the way of these cars, which were quickly amassing into a fleet as people within driving distance were caught in the pull of an unseen signal. Lois fought back every physical limitation that she had in order to push herself ahead, but every time that she looked back, Dr. Irons seemed to be growing farther behind. Clearly, the guy had to work on his cardio if he survived this. Spotting a nearby tree that led into a narrow junction, aswell as a steel bench that sat infront of the area, Lois' mind raced with an immediate plan of action. The problem was, Irons would have to reach her before she could enact it.

Forcing herself to stop, Lois shielded her eyes from the blinding light and spotted the first car that was making a beeline directly for her, as some were selectively targeting her and some were gunning for Irons. Eyes narrowed, she stared it down, counting the seconds away as it grew closer. This was obviously insane for her to even attempt, but she refused to let a man die just for having the nerve to tell the truth. And she could tell that every word of what John Henry Irons had told her was the truth that would provide them with the key to shutting The Toyman's deadly fun and games down for good.

"When The Man of Steel's nowhere to be seen, deadly improvisation a girl's best friend..."

Saying a small prayer for herself, Lois dove directly for the oncoming car as it sped up and beeped, the driver being a helpless woman in her mid-sixties who was frantically trying to warn the young reporter of the peril she was placing herself in by doing this. But as she looked to collide into the windshield, Lois immediately grabbed her thick leather purse and held it above her head as a makeshift shield, lessening the impact as she hit the speeding vehicle head-on. Luckily for her, the contents inside were enough to keep her from any serious danger as she bounced off of the hood, rolling onto the grass with barely even a scratch as the old woman looked back, amazed.

Lois smirked to herself for a moment, before realizing that the woman herself was in danger of colliding with the bench. She didn't mind if the car itself was totalled, but the woman inside was an innocent in all of this. Reaching out in a vain attempt to try and help her, Lois' eyes widened as the car suddenly stopped, revved it's wheels, and performed a one-hundred and eighty degree turn. Reaching into her purse, she tried desperately to look for her phone, but only felt broken plastic and shattered plexiglass from where it had once been.

"Oh, come on. Next you'll tell me that the psychopath can parallel park from here, too."

"Miss Lane, find cover! I... I can't shake them and there's nowhere else for me to go!"

Glancing over her shoulder as she stood, having been ready to make another run for her life, Lois saw Dr. Irons race towards her with sweat beading from his brow and heavy breaths echoing out of his chest. There were at least five cars targeting him compared to the one or two chasing her, making it clear that Irons was the one Schott wanted silenced the most. It was a damning turn of events that verified the story in all the ways needed - provided either of them lived to tell it. Looking back towards the car that had already tried to render her into paste, then back at Irons, Lois shot straight for the director of SteelWorks and fiercely grabbed him by the arm.

"Don't be an idiot! We're getting to cover!"

Using as much strength as she could to pull them both ahead at a running speed that met the divisional line between her and John's, Lois practically dragged Irons off of his feet and into a running leap. The car ahead was still gaining on them, but The Daily Planet's senior correspondent already had a plan ontop of her other plan. As the headlights from the car once again lit up the path ahead, Lois once again spotted the bench leading up to the tree. And all that was standing in their way was a 2004 Lime Green Chevy with a screaming woman flying into the back seat.

"Get ready to jump! You hear me?!"

"Hear you, yes! Know if I can do it? No!"

Lois shot him a smirk.

"The goal is not to die, Doctor! The landing might be a little messy, but we're not competing for the Olympics!"

Irons defeatedly shook his head.

"It's no use! Winslow is after me, and he's not gonna stop until I'm dead! You're better off leaving me behind!"

"Kinda think that we're in the same boat on this one, Doc! If Toyman went to this much trouble, he's not about to leave a witness!"

Pointing towards the tree ahead of them, Lois signaled for Irons to brace for the jump. Then, after a silent count of three, she grabbed ahold of him and shoved him ahead of her. Irons frantically looked back, horrified at the implication, but Lois gave him a reassuring nod.

"Relax! Just giving you a boost! You ready?!"

"God, no!"

Lois looked back at the vehicles gaining traction behind them. There was no way to prevent a collision now, but the fact that the woman had been shot to the back seat of the car meant that there was less of a chance of serious injury if the front collided with another. She had to time this just right, or she'd end up getting them both killed.

"Go!"

Pushing Irons as hard as she could, Lois watched as the Doctor jumped as instructed and flew onto the top of the car, the extra velocity from her boost saving him from certain doom. Except now, instead of vaulting over the car as she'd intended for him to do, he was clutched onto the hood and refused to let go, too scared to make the leap.

"Doctor Irons! What are you doing?!"

As Irons looked back at her, the uncertainty of his next move made very clear by the overwhelmed expression on his face, Lois looked on in horror as the car carrying him came to an immediate and sudden stop. John Henry Irons flew from the hood of it and into the air, sent directly into a nearby tree. Lois gasped as his body fell flat to the ground, having heard a loud and sickening crunch upon his impact. If he wasn't dead, he had certainly endured enough trauma not to get back up anytime soon.

Immediately sprinting ahead to see if he was okay, knowing that the murder machines were still programmed to turn him into street pizza, Lois came to a stop as a car dashed past her, followed by another. Looking around, she realized that she was suddenly being surrounded by them, as if they were a horde of sharks waiting to bite down on a hapless beast of prey. In the distance, she could see a few of the cars heading towards Irons at an alarming speed. She tried to move forward, but the cars were moving too fast. And in the air, drones were now encircling the area once again, having caught up to the chase.

It would take a miracle to save them now. Not even Superman could get here in time to prevent what was about to happen. As Lois closed her eyes and prepared for the worst, she heard a loud and unexpected shattering of glass from a building nearby. At first, her mind thought that Kent had made it to the scene after all, despite her phone being destroyed and rendering her unable to call for help. But the person that she saw diving out of the building wasn't clad in red and blue. He was wearing a cape, but it was black - and adorning a horned mask that covered his face, stationed atop a high-tech looking motorcycle.

Lois stood astonished, distracted from her peril for the first time upon seeing this intervention.

"You've got to be kidding me..."



"Ace! Lock down a scan of every car in Grant Park! Isolate electrical engines from diesel fuel!"

I grunt as The Batcycle smashes over the hood of a truck that isn't currently occupied, nor under the control of this apparent technological virus that's entrapped multiple pedestrians in a high-speed chase across the area. When I was a block away and could see off of radar that the cars were advancing in a singular file position, it tipped me off to the idea that this was being done via remote control. While I haven't been able to pinpoint the source of the signal yet, I made sure to scan for anyone in the path of the cars so that I could prioritize getting them to safety first, before focusing on the unwitting and currently trapped drivers behind each wheel. I'll need to systematically remove them from each car and somehow dismantle the motors in the event that the signal can't be located and shut down in time, but I have to hurry. The chance of costing the city a number of innocent lives hangs between a second's miscalculation.

Smashing through a protective gate that surrounds the park's deeper area, I pick up speed as I notice a woman with black hair being circled by five of the vehicles. Seems to be an intentional method of intimidation at best, and a sign of imminent murder at the very worst. Better get to her first. As she leaps into the air and waves with both hands, trying to make it clear that she's in trouble, I leap onto the seat of the Batcycle and rev the engine even harder.

"Engage autopilot! Approach the cars ahead, then divert!"

I'll remember to thank Oracle for being the first to reveal that the cycle even had the capabilities for this function, aswell as Lucius Fox for giving me direct access to it via vocal command. The Batcycle weaves in at just the right speed and angle, allowing me to brace myself before leaping over the cars and diving directly for the woman. Wrapping my arm around her waist, I twist my body in mid-air and fire out a grapple line towards a nearby tree. Yanking us both out from the circle created by the vehicles, I direct us to a wider branch and grab on, lifting the combined weight of the woman and myself with as much strength as possible. To my surprise, she breaks free of my grip and grabs onto the branch herself.

"I... uh, appreciate the assist. But I've got it."

Pulling herself up, she unexpectedly reaches into her shirt and pulls out a lanyard. I look at the card attached for the briefest second to recognize it as Press Badge. For The Daily Planet. Immediately tensing up, I climb up to her level but refuse to look at her directly, as I don't want The Planet printing an up-close description of my suit or lower facial features.

"Guess this would be a bad time to ask for an exclusive, huh?"

Shooting the woman a stern glare, to ensure the seriousness of the situation is communicated well enough, I turn back towards the cars as they break formation and go directly for the tree itself. With that much force ramming into us their current speed, they could theoretically knock us down or upend the trunk itself. Need to divert the attention of the signal controlling them.

"Stay up here until I've taken care of this. You're better off on the high ground."

Tugging at my cape as I prepare to leap, the woman frantically points downward.

"Wait! There's a man down there that needs you more than I do! He's the one that these things are after and he's hurt!"

Scanning the area, I spot a man in the distance pressed against another tree, clearly injured and unconscious. Must have already suffered the brunt of an attack. But judging from how a few of the cars begin to branch off from the pack and head in his direction, the reporter's claims are confirmed. Giving her a nod, I fire off another grapple line and leap off of the branch.

"I'll see what I can do."

Spotting The Batcycle as it automatically tracks my movements, I spread my cape and descend atop it just as it comes to a stop. Assuming manual control once again, I jumpstart the engine and drive directly for the imperiled man too injured to save himself. Weaving out of the way of several cars, however, I notice a startling trend - they're not acknowledging me in any way. They're still hellbent on trying to kill the reporter. As I slide the cycle to a stop, my eyes widen as the cars ram directly into the tree at full speed and knock the woman off of the branch.

"NO!"

Too late. She falls head first onto one of the cars and rolls off, lifelessly flailing onto the grass. Blood is oozing from her temple, indicating head trauma. I look back towards the man as a set of cars come barrelling for him at breakneck speeds. Great. Now I've got two injured parties to help, but the reporter will have to wait. I need to save that man right now or he's destined for a fate much worse than her's.

"ACE! TOP SPEED, NOW!"

Watching the speedometer blindly switch from a little over a hundred miles to two hundred and fifty miles an hour, I clench at the console with one arm and reach into my belt with another. Producing the Utility Gun, I line up the shot to one of the tires of the vehicle and fire off a rubber bullet. The rubber of the tire explodes, sending the vehicle swerving off of the path. That's one down. Slamming a proximity mine squarely onto the console of the Batcycle, given that I used all of my C-4 in the fight with Clayface, I leap off of it and activate my paraglider once again, ascending upwards and watching as the only vehicle that I use to operate at night drives directly for the cars looking to crush the injured man. With an explosive attached to it.

That's three hundred million I'm never going to see again, but if it saves his life, it'll have been worth it. Now I just have to be fast enough to save the lives of the two other motorists that are still trapped within those vehicles. Firing off another grapple line towards the second vehicle, I get it to attach and press the trigger for me to be reeled. Once I zipline for the truck, I slam onto it with the armor of my boots' heel first, cracking the windshield. The man inside screams as I then smash through the glass, grab him by the jacket, and attach the grapple gun to the front of his jeans.

"BRACE YOURSELF!"

Firing the grapple for a nearby anchor point, I hit the reel once again and watch as the man screams even louder after being violently yanked from the front seat of his truck. With no grapple to help me save the third and final motorist, I take out a pair of batarangs and dive from the truck to the Sedan, raising both batarangs high. Slamming the razored edges into the hood of the car, I manage to keep myself from falling off as I reach through the open driver's side window, pull out a woman who's as equally terrified of me as she is of this predicament, and shield her with my cape as I jump off, carrying her in tow. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see The Batcycle closing in. Have to be sure that the woman's protected from what comes next.

"GET YOUR HEAD DOWN, NOW!"

Trembling, she ultimately complies, and I wrap the cape even tighter around her as we hit the grass. Using the other side of the cape to shield my own body, I grit my teeth and brace myself for what's about to happen.

BOOM!

An explosion demolishes the two thankfully unmanned vehicles and prevents them both from accelerating any further. The Batcycle's demolished aswell, but the plan worked, as I pull the cape from around the woman and stand. She wordlessly gets up herself and runs in the other direction. Smart, given that I was about to tell her to do that myself.

Now, to see if I can...

BA-BLAM! BA-BLAM! BA-BLAM!

Eyes widened once again, I look towards the skies upon narrowly being missed by a hail of gunfire, only to see... drones? Active and armed, they're an advanced model that I've yet to encounter before - designed to look, bizarrely, like toy airplanes. They're encircling the sky above me, prompting me to prepare another batarang. But as I go for the defensive stance, the red targeting lights from their on-board cameras align me in their crosshairs. One batarang isn't going to cut it, and The Batcycle is destroyed. I have to stowe the impulse to fight and take off running if I'm going to escape this.

What the hell is going on?

CLOSED - Ultimate One Universe: Season One

My answer to that is when the heroes have assembled, the Surfer will make his presence known. Going to keep his distance until then.

However, he did leave a ton of chaos in his wake whilst freeing the prisoners, so I would imagine it's being heavily covered in the media. Might help steer some people in the right direction.

CLOSED - Ultimate One Universe: Season One

Also, given that we're a week away from the game coming to a close, I decided that the Weekly Post Check would be frivolous at this point. Whoever's active now is in it for the long haul, or at least until Season 2 starts.

Yeah, that's it. That's what I'm telling myself to alleviate the fact that I forgot to do it.

CLOSED - Ultimate One Universe: Season One

Dick will come when the time is right, but never count on Dick to rise up before Dick is ready. Batman's got some growing to do before he takes on a partner, specifically becoming less coo-coo for cocoa puffs and learning how to deal with superpowered menaces. When it comes to Batman, Dick will have to wait, as much as we all crave Dick's arrival.

CLOSED - Ultimate One Universe: Season One

You can't write a sex scene between Thor and the City.

@Retired

Sounds like someone just issued a challenge, to me.